In reading Gregory Mantsios, "Class in America", it revealed many things 1. Our government is continuously lying to us and 2. If we don't inform ourselves we are doomed to repeat this cycle. Class has become a rather taboo topic in our society, many shy away from class because they don't want to acknowledge it exists. Our nation prides itself on meritocracy and anyone who works hard enough can be successful, we know this to be entirely false. A lower class family can work their entire lives, as many do, and still remain in the lower class standing.
On the other hand, our country prides itself for being a "middle- class nation" (one of the lies I alluded to earlier). The simple fact is our nation is only keeping the poor, poor and allowing the rich to get richer. The "middle class" is shrinking and the divide between rich and poor is growing bigger each year. This article outlines some myths (lies) surrounding class in our society: 1. We live in a classless society and are all equal in the eyes of the law 2. We are a middle class nation 3. We’re all getting richer 4. Everyone has an equal chance to succeed. The reason class has become such a taboo topic is because class brings privilege. And as we've learned in class most people with privilege are 1. unaware of that privilege and 2. don't like to discuss their privilege. Those of higher class standings are afforded certain liberties those of lower/working classes cannot attain i.e. better health care, good education, better jobs, better housing, and wealth.
These differences not only affect our livelihood but also our physical and mental stability.
Future generations are almost guaranteed to repeat this cycle because they can only play the cards they are dealt. Those who are born into higher standing classes have a higher likelihood of being successful than someone from a lower class family. This so- called growing middle class is the way society tries to reject the truth of class oppression. Class oppression can be just as detrimental as race and gender oppression but also offers privilege to marginalized groups. A minority or woman can be granted certain privileges if they're rich. These article also reveals many realities surrounding the lies of the growing middle class ranging from the lack of accessibility to not every American being given a chance to succeed. What are some ways in which we could combat these class infrastructures to truly uphold the meaning of meritocracy?
This post was extremely enlightening, in the fact that you highlighted the growing differentiation between the rich and the poor and the shrinking middle class. We as a society do see ourselves as a middle class nation but, in reality classes are extremely boxing in regards to social mobility. It seems that the class a person is born into is the class they are expected to remain in. I think a way to combat these assumptions and to strive towards meritocracy in our society is to eliminate our view of people based on their class. We should not immediately define someone base on where they came from but rather define them but their abilities where they are now.
ReplyDeleteLove your article Cassie, you stated how and why class is changing over time, in a negative way. It is wild how society believes class is everything in a person, if you come from a lower class family, people automatically categorize you, in negative ways. It is crazy to think that whatever class you are in defines you and your family, such as higher classes get instant health care and security, but lower class can't even go to hospital because they cannot afford insurance. If our society can stop defining people based on class, maybe then the cycle wont repeat.
ReplyDeleteWhen looking up the numbers on how many middle class are left in the U.S. It's apparent that we have not known the truth! One thing I've always thought about is the fact that we believe practically everything we hear. And it's impossible for everyone to achieve the American Dream. There has to be a little guy if there's going to be a big guy.
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